College Football Insider predicts Trevor Etienne’s availability

College football insider Pete Thamel has made a prediction about Georgia football running back Trevor Etienne's readiness for Week 1.

Georgia enters the 2024 college football season as the best team in the country. Many are rooting for the Bulldogs because their roster has so much depth at many positions, and Georgia has accomplished that in part by adding new players through the transfer portal. One of the names Georgia snagged from the portal this offseason was former Florida running back Trevor Etienne.

Before the Clemson game, speculation began about Etienne's suitability, as the running back was charged with drunken driving during the offseason. The DUI, less safe and DUI under 21 charges were dropped, while Etienne pleaded guilty to the reckless driving charge. ESPN's college football insider Pete Thamel provided this update on the situation:

“The headline is that Trevor Etienne is facing a one-game suspension,” Thamel said on College Football Live. “He was arrested for DUI in March. Per Georgia Athletic Department policy, he is expected to miss one game.”

Head coach Kirby Smart was asked about the situation on Monday and gave the following response:

“I'm excited for all the guys. I don't talk about all these other things before the game, but I'm excited for the guys we have.”

When asked again whether the decision to suspend Etienne or let him play had been made, he insisted: “I don't talk about such things.”

In two seasons at Florida, Etienne rushed for 1,472 yards, 14 touchdowns and 5.9 yards per carry on 249 attempts. Georgia selected him as the starting running back on that roster for the 2024 season, and he will play a major role in the offense. The Bulldogs will also rely on players like Roderick Robinson, Branson Robinson and possibly true freshman Nate Frazier throughout the year.

The Bulldogs and Tigers will face off at noon on August 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 2021 season opener, which saw the Dawgs win 10-3 to secure their first national title in 41 years. It will be the second time Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart have faced each other as head coaches.

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